I am a 55 y/o woman who was diagnosed bipolar at about age 40. My step-dad taught me how to shoot when I was 12 y/o and I have taken some gun classes as an adult. I, like you, have had suicidal thoughts in the past but I never had thoughts of shooting myself. If you do have fear that you might self harm with a gun then obviously you should not have a gun. But simply being bipolar does not make a person unsafe with guns and your friend has no reason to know you fear guns despite you telling him you are bipolar.
You don't have to make it complicated. Just tell him you are not comfortable around guns and you do not enjoy going to the shooting range. Can you suggest another activity that you and he might enjoy? Shooting hoops with a basketball maybe?
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The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well. anonymous
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